Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Posted by Miss Neddy at 12:28 AM | Comments (1) | Permalink
Categories: Tea Pu'er

Pu’er 普洱, being a unique tea entirely in its own category, also has its own body of knowledge and expertise quite distinct from other teas. There may be many common points between green, white, wulong and even black teas, but pu’er’s qualities do not overlap too much with the other types.

My friend A. has in recent years taken a stronger interest in Pu’er and I find she serves Pu’er at her table increasingly often. Initially I viewed this with quiet dismay, as I am not overly fond of Pu’er, being more accustomed to sweeter and lighter wulongs. However, the frequent tea sessions that have started and ended with Pu’er have made me appreciate its complex and rich flavours. Even within Pu’er, there are many varieties, and cakes of good Pu’er are becoming more expensive as time passes; partly due to the fact that Pu’er tends to get better with age, like certain wines, and partly because speculation in the sale of Pu’er is still very prevalent. Cakes of fair quality can range around US$80 to $200 dollars and even more.

One way around this is to buy loose-leaf Pu’er, which does not keep as well, is not as sought after by speculators, and thus not priced as dearly. There are also a number of varieties of loose-leaf Pu’er.

On the left is aged Pu’er (远年普洱 Yŭan Nián Pŭ Ĕr), and on the right is Palace Pu’er (宫廷普洱 Gōng Tíng Pŭ Ĕr). Aged Pu’er is at least 7 years old before it is sold on the market; the leaves are large and some may have been pressed so tightly that they form one inseparable piece. Palace Pu’er is made with leaves normally used for white tea, that is, the unopened leaf buds. It is not aged as long or pressed as hard, so the leaves are still very loose and separate, and much lighter in colour. Aged Pu’er has a richer flavour and can endure more steeping; Palace Pu’er has a better fragrance, is slightly sweeter and much lighter.

It is when I look at the breadth and depth of knowledge that encompasses the world of Pu’er that I realise how little I really know about tea, and how much there is left to learn. This is a realisation that is both humbling and exhilarating.

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